Process of enameling.



' UNITED PATENT orrron PROCESS OF ENAMELING.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 26, 1905.

Application filed November 25, 1904- Serial No. 234,263.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JosEPH H. HINEs, a citi- Zen of the United States, residing at Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania. have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Processes of Enameling; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to a new and improved process for enameling metal articles or objects such as are used for culinary and other household purposes, for laboratory purposes, and for different purposes in the various trades and arts.

One object of the process is to produce an enamel coating either of one solid color or of any appearance or design which will be free from all spots and blemishes caused by corrosion 0r oxidation of the surface of the metal article. This is accomplished by coating the article after it has been cleaned and before it is enameled with a suitable alkali or the like, which will prevent corrosion or oxidation of the surface of the metal. This coating of alkali will not only protect the surface of the article from all the elements, but will also assist in the enameling process, since the alkali will act to some extent as a binder to cause the metal of the article and the enamel to chemically unite.

The finished article produced by this process will have the appearance of enamel-co ated articles now in general use; but they will be free from that mottled or spotted appearance caused by the corrosion or oxidation of the surface of the metal.

By this process I may produce metal articles with one or more coats of enamel, and such coat or coats may be of one or more colors or designs. The colors or designs may be applied either directly to the metal base or on the first or any subsequent coat of enamel either before or after said coat or coats have been melted or burned in and on the surface of the metal or a previous enamel coat, or, if desired, the enamel coating or coatings may be suitably colored before they are applied to the surface of the metal or a previous coat of enamel.

My improved process is as follows: I first take the article, which may be formed of iron, steel, copper, aluminium, or a composite metal, and clean the same, so as to remove all grease and scale or oxid. I then place the article in an alkaline bath composed .of water and borax or soda or such alkali as will dissolve in water and will dry on the surface of the article and protect it during the further process of enameling and also assist in such enameling process. After the article is removed from the bath and its coating of alkali has dried thereon I vary the process according to the result desired to be produced. In making single-coated ware I may apply a suitably-colored enamel coating and melt or burn the same in and on the surface of the metal or I may apply a colorless enamel and after the same has dried and before it has been burned a suitable coloring preparation or material may be applied and the article then placed in a furnace or kiln to melt or burn the substances upon it. In making warehaving two or more coats I proceed in either of the ways 1ust described for singlecoated ware, and after the first enamel coat coat is then applied and burned, then the third, or as many subsequent coats as desired, each coat being burned before the next is applied. The coloring material or prepa-= ration may be applied to any one of the coats after they have dried and before they are burned in. The coloring material is preferably some preparation of metal or oxid of metal pulverized or in any other form which when chemically combined with the enamel by the action of fluxes which dissolve it will produce the desired. color. The coloring preparation of metal and also the colored enamel may be deposited by splashing, spraying, stenciling, printing, or in any other manner, so as to produce upon the article the desired design, decoration, and finish.

Having thus described my process, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The herein-described process of enameling and coloring metal articles which consists in cleaning the article, placing the article in an l alkaline bath to prevent corrosion or oxidahas been burned upon the article the second tion of the surface of the article, permitting In testimony whereof I have hereunto set the alkaline matter to dry thereon, applying my hand in presence of two subscribing Wit- 10 an enamel coating to the article, applying a nesses. coloring material to the enameled surface,

5 placing the article in a furnace to burn the coloring material thereon, and then applying Vitnesses: another coat of enamel and burning the same JOHN A. SHEDWIGK, on the article, substantially as described. WM. R. NEWGEON.

JOSEPH H. I-IINES. 

